White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

2018 Garden Brunch Video

By

2018 marked the 25th anniversary of the White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch!

This year, we honored the men, women, and families who have served in the U.S. Military. Staff Sgt. Dominic Perrotte was given the deed to his new 100%-mortgage free home by ABC News’ Bob Woodruff and Virginia’s Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax as part of a program by Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation.

Also, the 10th graduating class from NS2 Serves was honored with the Champions of Freedom Award by Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia. Special thanks to co-hosts Tammy Haddad, Kevin Sheekey, Hilary Rosen and Megan Murphy, Fred Humphries, Mark and Sally Ein, Mark Testoni, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Fritz Brogan, and Franco Nuschese.

Michelle Wolf Ruffles Feathers at White House Correspondents Dinner

By

Michelle Wolf roasts the President and White House administration officials at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner

Michelle Wolf’s divisive stand-up routine at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner has stirred tensions on both sides of the aisle for her comments on White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other administration officials. According to a review by the New York Time’s Michael Grynbaum, Wolf’s performance “took unflinching aim at some of the notables in the room — and quickly opened a divide, largely but not entirely along partisan lines, over the limits of comedy and comity under a president who rarely hesitates to attack the press.”

After Wolf’s performance, the White House Correspondents Association issued an apology, “Last night’s program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press,” White House Correspondents Association President Margaret Talev wrote. “Unfortunately, the entertainer’s monologue was not in the spirit of that mission.”

For her part, Wolf is unapologetic about the response her performance received, tweeting “Thank you!” to a statement made by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer calling her comments “disgraceful”.

Here’s All The Big Stars Who Attended This Year’s White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

By

The annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch brings together Hollywood stars, politicians, and of course, the brightest lights of Washington media, and this year’s 25th anniversary was no different.

Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti was spotted at the brunch as well as celebrities like HBO Ballers star Richard Schiff, Gloria Calderon Kellett showrunner Netflix’s One Day at a Time, and The View co-host Sunny Hostin.

Among the Trump administration and White House officials in attendance were Senior Advisor to the President Kellyanne Conway, Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley, and former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

Pollster Frank Luntz, political advisor Bill Knapp, Heather Podesta, and American Conservative Union head Matt Schlapp and his wife, White House Director of Strategic Communication Mercedes Schlapp were among the politicos seen at the brunch.

The bipartisan crowd featured members of Congress from both sides of the aisle including Representatives Darrell Issa, Debbie Dingell, Don Beyer, Joaquin Castro, and John Delaney.

Government officials included Virginia Lieutenant Gov. Justin Fairfax, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Councilman Jack Evans, DC Senator Paul Strauss, and Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress.

Comedians Jordan Klepper, the host of Comedy Central’s “The Opposition”, and RJ Fried, the executive producer of “Our Cartoon President”, a segment of which made it into the program at the White House Correspondents Dinner, were also in attendance.

News Leaders included Fred Ryan, publisher of the Washington Post, Craig Gordon, Bloomberg DC Bureau Chief, Sam Feist, CNN Bureau Chief, and Andrew Morse, President of CNN Digital.

A handful of TV hosts including ABC Correspondents Bob Woodruff and Juju Chang, Brian Stelter, Don Lemon, MSNBC analyst Heidi Przybyla, Washington Post reporter and host of PBS Washington Week Robert Costa, and MSNBC hosts Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle joined the fun.

Making the rounds were media stars Margaret Talev, the veteran Bloomberg White House Correspondent and WHCA President, MSNBC’s Peter Alexander and his wife Alison Starling, CNN Political Director David Chalian and CNN reporters Jeff Zeleny and Jim Acosta, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from the Washington Post Philip Rucker, ABC White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl, The Atlantic’s Steve Clemons, Politico’s Daniel Lippman and Anna Palmer, MSNBC national security analyst Jeremy Bash, Fresh FM Tommy McFly, and Defense One’s Kevin Baron.

Notables included MPAA President Charles Rivkin, President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Patricia Harrison, Ted Olson and Lady Booth Olson, General John Campbell, Abbe Lowell, Valerie Jarrett, Ambassador Lloyd and Ann Hand, Sally Quinn, The Wing co-founder Audrey Gelman, Executive Director of Wikimedia Katherine Marler, David Adler, Robert & Elena Allbritton, Ryan Williams, Facebook’s Erin Egan and Rachel Whetstone, Zach Leonsis, co-owner Monumental Sports, Washington Wizards and Ed and Deborah Lerner Cohen, co-owners of the Washington Nationals, and Tina Tchen of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund.

This year’s Brunch co-hosts were Mark and Sally Ein, who own the Beall-Washington House where the brunch took place, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Tammy Haddad, Hilary Rosen and Megan Murphy, Kevin Sheekey, Fred Humphries, Franco Nuschese, and Fritz Brogan.

25 Years of Celebrating Causes and Journalism at the White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

By

It started as an intimate gathering in my backyard in the Palisades in 1993, 25 years ago. I created the Garden Brunch as a way to gather friends from New York and LA who were in Washington for the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The first Garden Brunch was a salute to a longtime friend and colleague Stephen Rivers, a Hollywood publicist and political activist well known to politicos on both sides of the aisle and Washington reporters. After the invites went out, I was surprised by the amount of RSVPs we received from legends like Tim Russert to Bush 41 White House aide Anna Perez as well as many TV and print journalists.

Late into the party I got a call on my house phone. A voice on the line said, “A secured package is on the way.” A few moments later none other than Barbra Streisand walked in accompanied by the great songwriters Marilyn and Alan Bergman. There were no cameras or paparazzi in those days.

We soon realized the gathering had so much political wattage that we should use this platform to help others while celebrating great Washington journalism. We decided to bring in more than just the country’s top anchors and reporters, but also activists, celebrities, and government leaders, to advocate for their causes.

As part of the weekend, the Garden Brunch has always been about celebrating the free press. And we aim to stay true to our original goal of creating a gathering space for journalists, politicos from both sides of the aisle, and celebrities to mingle prior to the main event. The brunch also provides an opportunity for many of the new faces making their White House Correspondents’ Weekend debut to meet their dinner sponsors.

The Fourth Estate has been well represented at the Garden Brunch. Guests have included Greta Van Susteren, Rupert Murdoch, Wolf Blitzer, Arianna Huffington, David Gregory, Andrea Mitchell, Bret Baier, April Ryan and Gayle King.

Over the years, the event has maintained a bipartisan spirit as presidential administrations have come and gone and the brunch crowd has continued to grow.

One of my all-time favorite moments from the Garden Brunch has to be getting the opportunity to introduce Captain Richard Phillips, who had been captured by Somali pirates, to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who had coordinated his rescue at sea. Another favorite was watching Matthew Morrison, the star of Glee, joining the hottest boy band of the year, The Jonas Brothers, to advocate for finding a cure for epilepsy.

In 2011, the event moved to its new location, the historic Beall-Washington House in Georgetown, the former residence of Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham. Mark and Sally Ein, who have since become co-hosts of the event, now own the home which was the location of many scenes in Steven Spielberg’s film, The Post.

Celebrity spotting at the Brunch doesn’t disappoint. The biggest stars of the day that have been invited to Washington, DC for the weekend often make a pre-dinner appearance at the Garden Brunch.

Since 2017, the dinner has been a lower-key affair due to the change in the White House, which has translated to fewer celebrities making the trek to Washington. Notable guests at the Brunch in recent years have included cast members from HBO’s VEEP, Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tony Goldwyn, the cast of Netflix’s House of Cards, Bridget Moynahan, Gerard Butler, Lindsay Lohan, Elle Macpherson, Kerry Washington, Rosario Dawson, Kris Jenner and Woody Harrelson. Luminaries and business leaders have included Travis Kalanick, Joanna Coles, Kevin Plank, Biz Stone, Eric Schmidt, Sheila Johnson and Yuri Milner.

My favorite guests have always been Greta Van Susteren and her husband John Coale. You know her as a TV host, but she is the most loyal friend and has always brought in interesting celebrities who helped us draw attention to our causes. Over the years she has brought everyone from Kim Kardashian and Todd Palin to Lindsay Lohan and Kris Jenner.

Other Garden Brunch co-hosts over the years have included Hilary Rosen, Alex Castellanos, Steve McMahon, Kevin Sheekey, Anita Dunn, Bill Knapp, David Adler, Franco Nuschese, Steve and Jean Case, Constance Milstein, Fred Humphries and Rupert Murdoch’s then-wife Wendi.

The brunch has honored several prestigious organizations in its 25 years with a focus on causes that are making a significant difference in people’s lives. Recently, that list of organizations has included CURE Epilepsy, The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, Blue Star Families, Dog Tag Bakery, Yellow Ribbons United, and NS2 Serves.

This year, we highlighted Wells Fargo’s veteran home donation program and NS2 Serves’ veteran training and hiring programs. The biggest surprise of the event came when ABC News Correspondent Bob Woodruff presented Ret. Army Staff Sergeant Dominic Perrotte with a 100% mortgage-free house. Perrotte, who completed 3 tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq and was wounded in 2012 when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb, was awarded the home after completing the Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Homes4WoundedHeroes’ three-year financial mentoring program.

Other individuals and organizations have been acknowledged for their contributions as well. In 2017, Democracy Fund president Joe Goldman received the Visionary Award for his work in supporting independent journalists. At the 2015 Garden Brunch, American Sniper widow, Taya Kyle, received the Champion Award for her work on behalf of veterans’ families. We are proud to be the only White House Correspondents Weekend event to highlight a non-journalism cause.

Because it’s a brunch, the food being served is very important and the spread at past events has created buzz of its own. From Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne of Georgetown Cupcakes, who always donate their finest cupcakes, to the popular donut wall, to specialty cocktails, to the necessary espresso bar that keeps guests buzzing through the weekend, the food at the Garden Brunch has often been the talk of the town.

We also attempt to have fun with social media while spreading the word about important causes. Guests have been invited to write their thoughts on Microsoft PPI displays. Zignal Labs has shared real-time analytics about #WHCD chatter through stunning visualizations on multi-screen displays. A livestream of the event has been broadcast online and also covered by C-SPAN. And guests are always encouraged to share their experiences using the #GardenBrunch and #WHCD hashtags.

It’s an honor to host the Garden Brunch and to be part of this exciting weekend of putting a spotlight on the importance of journalism in America. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is a special event, and I speak on behalf of my co-hosts in saying that we look forward to being part of the celebration again next year.

25th Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

By

On Saturday, April 28, the 25th Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch will honor our military veterans who have served the nation at the highest level.

We owe our veterans a great debt, and one important way to give back is to ensure they have the job skills and financial independence needed following their military service.

Saturday’s event will highlight Wells Fargo’s veteran home donation program and NS2 Serves’ training and hiring programs.

The White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch is hosted by Tammy Haddad, Hilary Rosen & Megan Murphy, Fred Humphries, Mark & Sally Ein, Mark Testoni, Greta Van Susteren & John Coale, Fritz Brogan, Franco Nuschese, and Kevin Sheekey.

Follow the conversation on social media at #GardenBrunch, @WHCInsider, @WellsFargo, @NS2Serves and #NS2ServesVets.

2018 WHCD Party List

By

There won’t be a shortage of ways to have a good time for the journalists, politicians and celebrities in Washington, D.C. this weekend for the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Following is a running list of events scheduled to take place.

Thursday, April 26

  • Washington Women in Journalism Awards (Story Partners and Washingtonian)
  • Great American White House Correspondents’ Dinner Party (The Daily Caller, Entertainment Software Association, International Franchise Association, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Conservative Partnership Institute)
  • Bytes & Bylines (Irish Ambassador’s Residence hosted by Allen Gannett, Eric Kuhn, John McCarthy, Susanna Quinn, Jon Steinberg)

Friday, April 27

  • Toast to the First Amendment (RealClearPolitics, National Restaurant Association, Beer Institute, Distilled Spirits Council)
  • A Celebration of America’s Journalists (United Talent Agency)
  • “Come Together” Washington (British Ambassador’s Residence)
  • Right to Bear Arts (Creative Coalition)
  • Capitol File Party
  • White House Correspondents’ Jam at The Hamilton

Saturday, April 28

  • White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch (Tammy Haddad, Kevin Sheekey, Hilary Rosen, Fred Humphries, Mark and Sally Ein, Mark Testoni, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Fritz Brogan, Franco Nuschese)
  • 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner
  • Atlantic Media and CBS News’ Reception
  • No Tie Party (Playboy)
  • NBC News and MSNBC After Party

Sunday, April 29

  • Correspondents’ Brunch (Thomson Reuters)
  • Political Hangover Brunch (CNN)

Wells Fargo donates mortgage-free homes to combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families

By

Representatives from Wells Fargo will attend the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. The event will highlight their efforts to donate mortgage-free homes to combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families through the Military Warriors Support Foundation’s (MWSF) Homes4WoundedHeroes program. A special announcement will be made on stage during the brunch.

As part of the Homes4WoundedHeroes program, veterans and their families enroll in a three-year financial literacy and family mentorship training program through MWSF and receive the deed to their home upon successful completion. Mentors help them make budgets, manage their finances, and get ready to become homeowners, and also help navigate the many challenges of transitioning to life outside the military.

To date, Wells Fargo has donated over 350 homes, valued at $55 million, to veterans and Gold Star families in all 50 states.

Watch the following video to learn more about the program.

NS2 Serves at White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

By

NS2 Serves is an independent, nonprofit organization that gives back to the community by training and employing veterans in high-tech careers. Mark Testoni, President of SAP National Security Services, Inc., represented the program at the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch in Washington, D.C.

Representatives from NS2 Serves will once again participate in this year’s Garden Brunch where military veterans and their families will be honored.

Follow the conversation on social media with #GardenBrunch and #NS2ServesVets.

Flashback to the 2017 Garden Brunch

By

We’re only a few days away from the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner and all the festivities of the weekend. As we prepare for another White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch, we take a look back at last year’s event honoring military veterans and a free and fair press.

The 2018 Garden Brunch will once again honor our military veterans and their families with support from Wells Fargo and NS2 Serves. Follow the conversation on social media using #GardenBrunch.

Stormy Daniels’ lawyer to attend WHCD as Associated Press guest

By

Photo by CBS via Getty Images

Despite her elevated profile in national media over the past few months, Stormy Daniels has chosen not to attend the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, even though she has received multiple invitations according to her lawyer, Michael Avenatti.

Avenatti, who has also raised his own profile in connection to Daniels, will attend the dinner as a guest of the Associated Press.

Read more via The Hollywood Reporter: Stormy Daniels Declines Invitations to White House Correspondents’ Dinner